才高八斗

cáigāo-bādǒu
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 talent measuring eight pecks out of ten
  2. 2 extraordinarily gifted
  3. 3 towering literary talent

Examples

HSK 4
Tā cóngxiǎo cáigāo-bādǒu, shí suì jiù néng xiě shī.
He was extraordinarily gifted from childhood - writing poetry at ten.
HSK 6
Suīrán cáigāo-bādǒu, tā zuòrén què hěn qiānxū.
Though vastly talented, he carries himself modestly.

Tips

history
From 《南史·谢灵运传》: Southern-dynasty poet Xie Lingyun boasted that of the world's total talent of 一石 (ten dou), 曹子建 (Cao Zhi) alone had eight, he himself one, and all others shared the last one. The phrase was originally Xie's praise of Cao Zhi.

Stroke Order

cái
gāo
dǒu